1. Biological Control in Victorian Grape Vines using Trichogramma
Dr. David Bennett
Centre for Environmental Stress and Adaptation Research
La Trobe University

2. Order : Hymenoptera Family : Trichogrammatidae Genus : Trichogramma
What is Trichogramma? A WASP
Order : Hymenoptera Family : Trichogrammatidae Genus : Trichogramma
Microscopic wasps
145 species worldwide
Natural enemies of moths
Egg parasitoids

3. Trichogramma funiculatum

4. Order : Hymenoptera Family : Trichogrammatidae Genus : Trichogramma
What is Trichogramma? A WASP
Order : Hymenoptera Family : Trichogrammatidae Genus : Trichogramma
Microscopic wasps
145 species worldwide
Natural enemies of moths
Egg parasitoids

5. T. funiculatum and T. carverae

6. Order : Hymenoptera Family : Trichogrammatidae Genus : Trichogramma
What is Trichogramma? A WASP
Order : Hymenoptera Family : Trichogrammatidae Genus : Trichogramma
Microscopic wasps
145 species worldwide
Natural enemies of moths
Egg parasitoids

7. Trichogramma Life Cycle

8. What are egg parasitoids?
Different to regular parasites
Trichogramma wasps lay their eggs into the eggs of moths
Instead of a caterpillar emerging, a fully grown wasp climbs out
Egg parasitoids are parasites that have a free-living adult stage
Similar to the bad guys in the movie Aliens!

9. T. brassicae on a Helicoverpa moth egg

10. Trichogramma in Biological Control
Currently the most widely used insect biological control agents in the world
Natural enemies of over 200 pest moth species whose caterpillars attack agricultural crops
Released on more than 8 million hectares

11. Pests in Australia Examples of economically important pests include:
Helicoverpa (budworm) in processing tomatoes
Epiphyas postvittana (Lightbrown Apple Moth) in Chardonnay grapevines
The latter damage grapes directly and spread Botrytis (bunch rot)
Control is difficult with chemical sprays because this species is a leaf roller

12. Chardonnay grapevines

13. Lightbrown Apple Moth in grapes

14. Pests in Australia Examples of economically important pests include:
Helicoverpa (budworm) in processing tomatoes
Epiphyas postvittana (Lightbrown Apple Moth) in Chardonnay grapevines
The latter damage grapes directly and spread Botrytis (bunch rot)
Control is difficult with chemical sprays because this species is a leaf roller

15. Lightbrown Apple Moth
Epiphyas postvittana

16. Trichogramma in Australia
Several endemic species attack pest moth species
Natural Trichogramma parasitism rates are inadequate for control and too late in the season
Trichogramma carverae is a species which can be bred in captivity on a grain moth host
Breeding these wasps in huge numbers allows us to release them in grapevines where the pest has been found.

17. Lightbrown Apple Moth cycle vs Trichogramma cycle

18. Trichogramma in Australia
Several endemic species attack pest moth species
Natural Trichogramma parasitism rates are inadequate for control and too late in the season
Trichogramma carverae is a species which can be bred in captivity on a grain moth host
Breeding these wasps in huge numbers allows us to release them in grapevines where the pest has been found

19. Wasp colony
Trichogramma carverae reared on eggs of the grain moth Sitotroga cerealella
Population founded from 18 wasps collected in Mildura
Colony maintained in a controlled environment room at 25C, in constant light, at 60% humidity and provided with honey and fresh eggs every eleven days

20. Trichogramma in Australia
Several endemic species attack pest moth species
Natural Trichogramma parasitism rates are inadequate for control and too late in the season
Trichogramma carverae is a species which can be bred in captivity on a grain moth host
Breeding these wasps in huge numbers allows us to release them in grapevines where the pest has been found

21. Lightbrown apple moth cycle vs Trichogramma cycle
release timing is important

22. Conclusions
Releases early in the season increase parasitism and improve the level of biological control
Can this bio-control agent replace chemical controls in Victorian grapevines?
Can we produce Trichogramma strains that are more effective against these pests?

23. Acknowledgements Horticultural Research Development Corporation
Grape and Wine Research Development Corporation
Australian Research Council

24. Project aims
Select for host location ability on potted grapevines under glasshouse conditions
Fitness components selected for :
Dispersal ability
Orientation mechanisms
Survival rates
Host plant location
Flight ability
Host acceptance
Oviposition success

25. Glasshouse selections
100 potted vines in full leaf
Approximately 4,000 wasps released
120 LBAM egg cards exposed for 3 days
Parasitised eggs collected to continue each line
Assumption that each egg raft stung by one female, so that top 3% were selected
9 selections (3 populations x 3 selections)

26. Further studies Monitoring egg presence for timing releases
Release application rates
Dispersal patterns and persistence
Life history tradeoffs
Impact of food
Host deprivation
Heritability of body size, wing shape
Impact of fungicides

27. Trichogramma carverae forewing structure